Grown Kids
by JoJo1001
Summary: Danny and Lindsay's daughter and Flack and Angells son. Some angst to come, please review
1. Chapter 1

"I don't want to move!" Ava Messer yelled at both of her parents just before taking off outside racing away tears streaming down her face.

"Well dat went well." Danny said sighing as he leaned against the counter in the kitchen.

"Yeah." Lindsay said rubbing her forehead wishing she knew how to make Ava feel better about the move.

"Linds, we don't have to do dis." Danny said walking over and wrapping his arms around her middle pulling her into his arms. She looked up at him and cupped his strong jaw shocked that even after 13 years of marriage she loved him, maybe even more than when they first got together. They'd only been married for 5 years when Danny had been offered a job in Montana as the lab director. At the time it was a good move for them, they had Ava who was just turning 5 and twins on the way and her grandparents had died leaving them a fantastic house and both of them wanted to raise their kids in a safer place. The move had gone well and Lindsay had been afraid that Danny would hate being out of New York but he'd fallen in love with her home and the kids seemed to love having the freedom of running outside and playing in the grass. They'd gotten a call from Mac a few weeks before asking them to come back, asking Danny to take over as lab director and Lindsay saw in his eyes that he was excited and wanted to do it.

"I want to." She said finally. "I love New York and I want this job for you, you've worked so hard and you deserve it." She said resting her face against his chest. They'd been putting off telling the kids knowing leaving Montana would be hard and they'd bought a house right next to Don Flack and Jennifer Angel who although they never married had been together about the same time as Danny and Lindsay and had a 12 year old son named Jason. "She'll get over being mad at us." Lindsay said and Danny nodded rubbing her back.

"You're thinking awful hard." He whispered enjoying standing there in the silence with her in his arms.

"Just thinking." She whispered smiling. "I'm nervous, not about leaving but I'm a little worried about the kids, about being safe." She said sighing. "I think it's going to be good for them to see how life is in the city don't get me wrong but here they have some freedom, they can play outside without me having to worry." She said and he nodded.

"If it don't work out we can come back." Danny said rubbing her back.

"I know." She said nodding.

"Mommy?" Lilly their 6 year old daughter said walking in her dark blonde hair pulled back into a tight braid and her big blue eyes wide with fear. "Aaron said we was movin." She said and Lindsay smiled and squatted down beside her.

"We are moving." Lindsay said smiling at her hoping she was putting off confident vibes. "Daddy got a new job and we're going back to New York." Lindsay said and Lilly nodded. "You remember last year when we went and you said it was pretty?"

"Yeah I liked it." She said nodding. "Can I take my toys?" She asked frowning her head tilted to the side and Lindsay chuckled watching her, smiling that she looked so much like her dad sometimes.

"Of course, we're taking our stuff." Lindsay said smiling as Aaron walked in his short hair messy and dirt on his cheek.

"Daddy can we take my horse?" He asked and Danny laughed.

"No son, we can't take da horse but Granpa is gonna watch out for Tyson and we'll come back and visit." He said messing Aaron's hair up.

"Darn it." He said making a face. "Montana I'm gonna go talk to Av." Danny said and Lindsay nodded moving the kids into the bathroom to wash up for supper. They made trips to New York at least once a year most times twice and Ava seemed in awe of everything, she even once said she wanted to live there he was just praying she could adjust. She was a tom girl through and through and the child of theirs that was probably most like Lindsay. She was sweet and tough and so beautiful that sometimes he got teary just looking at her. She was tall for her age and thin and had dark blonde hair that went down to the middle of her back and she was the spitting image of Lindsay without the dark hair and brown eyes. All of their kids had gotten his dirty blonde hair and blue eyes but Ava had Lindsay's face, she had the same smooth pale skin and glowing smile and he sometimes wondered if that's why he might have favored her a bit. She was his firstborn but she'd always been a daddy's girl and he loved it, prayed that they'd always have that bond. She was close to Lindsay but 9 times out of 10 if she was hurting or upset she wanted him and he loved that since their other 2 kids were more prone to seek Lindsay out. "Hey." He whispered walking over to sit by Ava at the pond behind their house.

"Hi." She said swiping at the tears that fell down her pretty cheeks. "Daddy I wanna stay here."

"I know ya do bug." He said rubbing her back wanting to say that they would just stay, he hated seeing her cry or hurt. "I thought ya loved New York bug."

"I do, I mean I like to visit but." She stopped and looked up at him. "I won't have any friends."

"Baby ya'll make friends and what about Jason, ya always play together when we go visit." He said tucking her long hair behind her ear shocked that she didn't have it back in a pony tail.

"I'm country daddy, I like to ride horses and help poppy feed the cows." She said sighing dramatically. "What am I gonna do in New York?"

"Well ya momma's a country girl too, she loved living in New York." Danny said softly. "I know it's different baby but I want ya to love it like I do. I want ya to love it like your mom loves Montana, it's my home bug." He said smiling as he looked out at the water. "It's crazy and exciting and I love it here but I miss it Ava, I miss my friends and my family." He said shaking his head. "I have worked hard and dis job is a great opportunity for me, it's my dream job."

"I know." She said smiling weakly. "Aunt Stella said we could go shopping." She said sighing knowing that even if she was mad they were still going to move.

"I think we should think of dis move as an adventure." He said and she nodded. "It's exciting and scary but I wouldn't move our family across the country if I didn't think it would be good for us." He said and she leaned against him. "I think it's important to see the world Av, to see how other people live so that you know what you want out of life. Maybe you'll hate it, maybe you won't but it's important dat ya not afraid of change. I was terrified to move here, I tried to pretend to ya mom like I wasn't but I was so scared and when we got here I couldn't sleep for about a week." He said shaking his head. "It was way to quiet but one day I got up and sat on the porch and I was awed by the beauty, I came to love it, not more than New York but different."

"I don't want to love New York better." Ava said sadly.

"Baby ya don't gotta choose, it's like ya brother and sister, ya can love both of them." He whispered kissing her head.

"Yeah that's true." Ava said nodding. "I promise to give it a try." She said and he smiled and hugged her.

"Dat's my girl." He said relief pouring through him. "I love you bug."

"I love you daddy." She whispered hugging him tight still afraid but feeling better about the move.


	2. Chapter 2

"Thank god." Lindsay whispered exhausted as they pulled into the garage of the new house.

"No shit." Danny whispered smiling tiredly over at her. It was a long drive and the kids had stayed awake for most of it, only falling asleep the last 2 hours of the drive. "We could sleep here." He said and she smiled and looked back at the sleeping kids. "Thank god Flack and Jen got us beds and stuff."

"Yeah." Lindsay said nodding as she slowly climbed out her muscles aching as she stretched. "I'll get Lil." She whispered and he nodded walking to the door and unlocking it and pushing it open so they could head right in.

"Mmmmmh." Danny moaned body aching as he crawled into bed an hour later.

"I second that." Lindsay whispered scooting into his arms and snuggling her head onto his chest so tired she could barely see straight. "I love the house." She whispered smiling contentedly as he pulled the covers up around them as he usually did.

"It's nice." He said nodding tiredly. "Ya know da kids are gonna be up in like 3 hours."

"I love you." She said smiling sending up a silent prayer that this move would be good for them.

"I love ya too Montana." He said allowing himself to drift off to sleep.

"Hi." Ava said nodding at Jason Flack as he stood in their backyard. Her parents had several people over and had sent the kids outside to play. She hadn't seen Jason in a while and she didn't really know what to say to him.

"Dis ya dog?" He asked kneeling down to scratch the mutt's ears.

"Yeah." She said nodding and squatting down beside them smiling as Buddy their mix mutt lifted his head licking her on the cheek. "His name is Buddy and he's a thief." She said scratching the dog behind the ear.

"Whaddya mean he's a thief?" Jason asked blue eyes shining with envy as he rubbed the dogs head. He'd always wanted a dog but his mom and dad said no every time.

"He steals things, like shoes or your food if you're not careful." Ava said smiling. "He's kind of a mess." She said and Jason nodded. "So what do you do here for fun?" She asked looking around.

"Well I have a tree house." He said looking over the fence towards his yard. "It's pretty fun and I have a mud pit dat I play soldiers in." He said shrugging. "Girls don't like dat kinda thing though."

"I like that." She said smiling hopefully. "I had a tree house in Montana."

"Oh." He said nodding. "You wanna come over to my house?" He asked and she nodded.

"Do you go to my school?" Ava asked a few hours later as she and Jason played gameboy in the huge tree house.

"I go to Lincoln." He said and she sighed.

"I'm going to Johnson Academy." She said and he shrugged glancing over at her. "I'm scared about school."

"It's not a big thing." He said and she nodded wishing she could go to the same school as him.

"My school is an all girl school, daddy said I have to wear a uniform and everything."

"That sucks." Jason said making a face. "I go to a private school but it's got boys and girls and stuff." He said and she nodded. "We can wear regular clothes."

"I wish I could go to a regular school." She said dragging a stick through a pile of dirt. "Your mom is pretty."

"Yeah." He said nodding. "Your mom is really short." He said and she smacked him on the arm. "I'm serious, I'm taller dan her."

"She's not short." Ava said rolling her eyes. "Your mom and dad are both really tall."

"Yeah I'm gonna play professional baseball, I already play on a team."

"Dad said I can't play here." She said laying back on the floor her hair dragging through the dirt a little. "Back home I play on the team at school but my new school doesn't have baseball, I can play basketball though."

"We could play catch when we get home from school, I could maybe teach ya some stuff." He offered and she nodded making a face hearing her mom yelling for her.

"I gotta go, thanks for showing me your tree house." She said standing up and dusting the dirt off her jeans.

"Bye." He said nodding as she hurried down the rope.

"Hey." Danny said kissing Lindsay as he walked into the house. "Where's da kids?"

"Outside." She said smiling as he grabbed a beer and sat down at the table. "I got a letter from Ava's school today." She said tossing it to him and sitting beside him.

"Damn they keep raisin da rates." He said cringing. "We been here a year and it's gone up twice."

"I know." She said nodding. "Listen, I was thinking, Ava hates that school Danny, she hates the uniforms and she wants to go to school with Jason."

"Yeah but." Danny said cringing. "It's big and we said we wanted da kids to go to da best schools." He said looking at her.

"I had Jen get us some info on his school, it's a great school Dan and it's rated just as high as Johnson but no uniforms and it's boys and girls." She said. "Plus they have lot's of sports and after school activities."

"I dunno, I kinda like dat she goes to an all girls school." Danny said sighing. His baby was growing up and the last few months the changes had been subtle but noticeable and Lindsay told him the other day that she was buying Ava a new bra because her breasts were growing.

"Danny you can't shield her her school, I don't like that they have to be quiet all the time and she's bored in class and they don't have an advanced class, Lincoln has great teachers and they have advanced classes and."

"Ok ok." He said interrupting her. "I don't care if dat's what she wants." He said and Lindsay smiled and stood up and sat on his lap. "I don't want her to grow up Linds." He whispered resting his face in her soft hair, loving the smell.

"I know." She said kissing his neck and shifting on his lap to straddle his waist. "Someone's happy to see me." She whispered rubbing against his erection.

"Yeah." He whispered pulling her hips tighter against him. "Wanna move dis upstairs?" He whispered biting her neck playfully.

"We don't have time." She said shaking her head and smiling. "Suppers ready but later, your mine." She said kissing him hard.

"Tease." He said smacking her on the ass as she climbed off of him.

forever." Lindsay said patting his cheek. "I don't like


	3. Chapter 3

"Momma." Ava whispered walking into the kitchen catching her mom sitting at the table crying softly.

"Ava." Lindsay said sniffling and wiping her face. "What are you doing up?" She asked looking at the clock shocked to find her daughter awake at 6am.

"I heard the phone ring and daddy left." She said walking over looking scared. "Mommy why are you crying?"

"Oh honey." Lindsay said softly a new onslaught of tears sliding down her face. "Thank you." She whispered as Ava hugged her tightly. "I have to tell you something." Lindsay said sniffing wishing Danny was there to Ava with her.

"What?" Ava asked nodding her big blue eyes bright with fear. "Momma I'm almost 14 I can handle it." She said and Lindsay nodded kissing her forehead.

"Baby early this morning there was an accident." She whispered. "Aunt Jenny, well." She stopped and fought tears, trying to get through it. "She died."

"What?" Ava asked jaw dropping in shock. "How?"

"She was shot." Lindsay said hoping Ava was old enough to be told the truth. "Uncle Adam called an hour ago, daddy went to be with Uncle Don and Jason."

"Oh mommy." Ava whispered bursting into tears clinging to her mom.

"I'm sorry baby." Lindsay whispered choking on a sob as she cried with Ava.

"Jase." Ava whispered later that day as she silently climbed up to the tree house. He jumped and instantly looked mad as he wiped his face stopping the tears streaming down his face.

"Go away Ava." He said turning to face the other way pain and humiliation making him strike out at her.

"Jason I'm sorry." She said not sure what to say to him, hating to see him cry.

"GO AWAY!" He yelled wrapping his arms around his legs not wanting anyone tosee him like this. "I don't want you here."

"You're my best friend." Ava said hurt slamming into her.

"We're not friends, I was nice to you because I felt bad for you." He said looking at her his blue eyes shining coldly. "I have friends and you ain't one of em."

"Jase." She whispered tears filling her pretty eyes.

"Leave me alone Ava." He said turning to face the wall. "Go back to Montana we don't want you here." She choked on a sob and raced down the ladder her hot tears blinding her as she ran all the way back to her house not stopping until she was locked in her bedroom curled up in a ball feeling more lonely than she'd ever felt.

"Hey." Danny said walking in the day before school started and sitting on Ava's bed. She'd been distant the last few weeks since Jennifer had died and he wasn't sure why but he was getting worried. "So school starts tomorrow."

"Yes." She said nodding fighting tears.

"Baby tell me what's wrong?" He asked brushing her hair back.

"Nothing." She said turning to look at the wall afraid she'd start crying if she looked at him.

"Ok, so ya walkin to school wit Jason tomorrow?" He asked changing the subject. He hadn't been around a lot since Jennifer died, he'd been spending a lot of time with Don knowing that his best friend needed him.

"No." She said shaking her head. "He's mad at me, he hates me."

"Aw he don't hate ya." Danny said frowning knowing that Ava and Jason were really close and had been since the first day they moved to New York just over a year ago.

"He said we weren't friends, that I should go back to Montana, that no one wanted me here." She whispered closing her eyes tight hot tears leaking out as she hugged her knees.

"When did he say dis?" Danny asked fury lining his voice pissed that someone would hurt his little girl.

"The day Aunt Jennifer died." She whispered. "He said he wanted me to leave him alone."

"Oh baby." Danny whispered pulling her close and rubbing her hair as she cried into his chest. "Listen, sometimes when ya hurt ya say things ya don't mean." He whispered trying to explain it to her. "It's like the pain is to much and ya gotta lash out at someone, don't make it right but it happens. I think if ya give him some time he'll come around."

"I don't think so." Ava whispered clinging to her father.

"Bug, he lost his mom you gotta give him a little slack ok?" He asked and looked down at her and she nodded eyes still watery.

"I just don't have any other friends, I miss hanging out with him." Ava said sighing and closing her eyes. "I feel bad, I don't know what to say cause I don't know how bad I would feel if something happened to you or momma."

"I know, sometimes not saying anything says a lot bug, just be there if he wants to talk." He whispered knowing that's what he'd been doing for Flack. "You're a smart girl, just give em some space I promise it's gonna work out." He said and she nodded rubbing her face in his shirt. "Momma said ya gonna try out for cheerleadin."

"Yeah, I can't play baseball, she said she was a cheerleader and maybe I'll meet some nice girls."

"Yep." He said nodding wondering just how skimpy the cheerleader outfits were and how nervous it would make him. "I love you so much Ava, I'm so proud of ya."

"I love you to daddy." She said smiling lightly up at him.

"Ya new." A tall blonde girl said as Ava waited after school to try on her cheerleading outfit.

"Yes." Ava said nodding wondering if the girl was being nice or just being curious. The first day of school had been very long and she'd met a few people at cheerleading tryouts but hadn't really made any friends. She'd walked to school seeing Jason walking behind her and she'd hoped he would say something to her but he didn't and she had 2 classes with him and he basically ignored her. She stuck out like a sore thumb in this school where the girls all looked older than they were and she thought that they were probably laughing at her behind her back. "I'm from Montana." Ava said and the girl smiled and covered her mouth and looked over at a bunch of girls all of them holding back laughter.

"I thought that rumor was a joke." She said giving in and laughing hysterically.

"No, if you knew your geography you'd find that Montana is a real place." Ava said turning around anger flashing in her eyes. She got her uniform and walked into a bathroom stall to change cringing as she realized how skimpy the outfit was. It was tight on top and ended a few inches above her belly button and the skirt rode low on her hips and she knew her father would have a complete meltdown when he saw it. She walked out and glanced at the clock wondering if her mom was getting worried yet. It was 6 pm and she'd told her mom it would be late when she got home she just didn't think it would be this late.

"Hey Ava." The tall blonde said darting her head into the bathroom. "We're supposed to be out on the field, you're gonna get in trouble." She said and Ava cringed and nodded. "Hurry I'll cover for ya."

"Thanks." Ava said quickly pulling on her shoes and running out the door and down the empty halls to the back of the school. "Ok." She whispered racing out to the foot ball field seeing no one. "I guess the jokes on me." She whispered fighting tears as she walked back to the school her head hanging. She walked to the back door and felt her heart race seeing that it was locked. She walked around the school trying all the doorsfighting tears and getting a little scared finding that she couldn't get into the school. She wrapped her arms around her bare belly getting chilly as the sun went down and looked around almost glad that no one was around to see her humiliated. She took a deep breath and started towards home hating that she felt scared as the sun went down. She started to flag a cab then realized she didn't have any money and she'd never had any luck in getting them to stop anyway. She looked around and then looked back down as she saw a kid from school walking closer to her.

"Hey cutie." He said lightly grabbing her elbow.

"Don't." She said jerking away from him and moving a little faster.

"What's ya hurry." He whispered grabbing her and pulling her down a dark alley.

"Let me go." She gasped jerking away but he laughed and held her by the arms as she fought trying to get away from him.

"Hey I just wanna get to know ya." He said pushing her against the wall.

"Let me go." She stated stopping fighting him hoping that if he saw that she wasn't afraid he'd leave her alone.

"I'm Jack." He said smiling at her and pressing against her.

"Please let me go." She said swallowing hard knowing that she'd never be able to fight him off, he was tall and strong. "I'll scream."

"Go ahead." He said shrugging. "I just want a little kiss." He said bending his head down and gasping as she stomped on his foot. "Bitch." He yelled letting go of her butrecovering quickly and grabbing her arm yanking her back.

"Dawson." Jason yelled glaring at him. "Let her go."

"Or what?" Jack asked smiling at him. "We're just talkin." He said and Ava yanked on her arm trying to get free her eyes wild with fear.

"Let go of er and hit me." Jason said tossing his back pack to the ground and stepping close.

"Again Flack, ya want a piece of me again?" He asked letting Ava go and hitting Jason in the face.

"Oh god." Ava gasped heart racing as Jason pounced on the kid sitting on top of him hitting him in the face and belly.

"Get off." Jack yelled wincing in pain.

"You give?" Jason yelled his mouth swollen from the first punch.

"Yeah get the fuck off." Jack said gasping for air. Jason jumped up and looked at Ava.

"You ok?" He asked and she nodded hugging herself. "You touch her, ya got a major problem wit me, ya got dat?" Jason asked getting in the smaller guys face.

"Fuck you." Jack said wincing as he sat up blood dripping from his mouth. Jason turned to Ava and shrugged out of his jacket draping it over her shoulders.

"Come on." He said and she nodded sliding her arms into the warm jacket still almost paralyzed with fear as she tried to force her feet to move and go with him towards home. "He hurt ya?" He asked after a few minutes of silence.

"No, uh just scared me." She said shivering violently even though she had the warm jacket on.

"Ave, it's not smart to be wearin dat out." He said glancing at her cheerleading uniform and all of the skin it exposed.

"I know, the school was locked." She said blinking back tears as she hurried to keep up with him. "Are, are you ok?" She asked seeing him wipe his mouth where he had a small amount of blood.

"Yeah, he's a pussy." Jason said shrugging. "It's not da first time we've gotten into it."

Well, thank you." She said not sure what to say to him, hoping that this meant he wasn't mad at her anymore.

"Ya just gotta be careful." He said nodding and avoiding her gaze as they neared her house.

"Jase, I don't want to tell my parents." She said stopping him before they got to the door. "You know my dad he'll freak."

"Yeah." He said nodding and looking around. "So we'll just tell em ya got locked out and I walked ya home." He said and she nodded wondering what they would say. "Come on." He said walking up to the door and following her in.

"Ava I was getting worried." Lindsay said smiling as they walked in. "What are you?" She asked stopping and looking confused.

"I got locked out." Ava said looking down at her outfit.

"And cold." Jason said looking at her and hoping his aunt didn't question his fat lip.

"Jason what happened to your mouth?" She asked walking over to inspect his split lip.

"Hit wit a ball." He said shrugging away from her. "I gotta get home." He said and Ava nodded handing him his jacket. "See ya in da morning AJ." He said and Ava nodded heart racing at his use of her nick name.

"Bye Jase." She said nodding as he walked out the door.

"You guys made up." Lindsay said smiling as Ava walked into the kitchen

"Whoa." Danny said gasping and jumping out. "Not a chance in hell." He said shaking his head and shrugging out of his suit jacket and covering Ava. "Not happenin."

"Danny relax." Lindsay said smiling at the complete look of panic on his face.

"Daddy everyone wears them." Ava said and he looked scared for a second and then looked at Lindsay as if begging her for help.

"Ave why don't you go change and then we'll eat." Lindsay said and she nodded looking nervous before she sprinted up the stairs.


	4. Chapter 4

"Hey Jason Flack is waiting outside." Sara the mean blonde cheerleader said as they all changed the next day after cheer practice. "He is so hot."

"I'd do him." Joey another blonde cheerleader said as she put lipstick on in the mirror.

"No way I called him first." Sara said smiling into the mirror both of them ignoring Ava. "His mother just died, he's hurting and needs comfort." She said grinning wickedly.

"I'm guessing you're gonna comfort him without clothes on?" Joey asked and both girls giggled.

"Is there another way?" Sara asked. Ava grabbed her bag and followed both girls out feeling silly and almost invisible as she stood behind them.

"Hey Jason." Sara said stopping in front of him and smiling at him.

"Hey." He said nodding and looking around them back into the room.

"I was wondering if you wanted to grab some supper sometime?" Sara asked and he looked at her funny and then smiled weakly as he saw Ava.

"No thanks, Ave ya ready?" He asked and she nodded surprised that he'd waited for her. She stepped between the girls and saw their looks of shock as she walked out with Jason.

"You didn't have to wait." She said not sure what to say as they walked.

"I was hanging out anyway." He lied looking over at her. "Ya aright?"

"Yeah." She said nodding and smiling weakly. "Those girls think you're cute." She said and he looked shocked.

"They're sluts." He stated and continued to walk.

"Yeah." Ava admitted glancing up at him. "Are you walking me because you think that guy will bother me again?" She asked and he stopped at the cross walk searching for the right words, knowing that she thought she was tough and might be annoyed if he told her the truth.

"Partly." He said sighing. "Listen Av." He said rubbing his face. "We're friends and ya knew and I guess til ya find someone ya'd rather hang out wit I guess I thought we could hang." He said shrugging.

"I thought you hated me." She whispered so glad he was talking to her again she couldn't stand it.

"Let's get a drink." He said grabbing her arm and pulling her into a small café. "Ave I don't hate ya." He said as they sat sipping their drinks. "I just, I dunno." He said avoiding her gaze.

"It doesn't matter." She said smiling at him. "Long as we're friends again." She said and he looked up and smiled and nodded. "I mean until I find someone better to hang out with." She said and he laughed and nodded.

"Not gonna happen Messer, I'm pretty great." He said and she nodded smiling at him.

"Do ya think Ava is hanging out to much wit Jason?" Danny asked as he and Lindsay laid in bed late one night.

"Why?" Lindsay asked almost asleep.

"I dunno, he's a boy and he's probably girl crazy and have ya seen our daughter lately?" He asked sighing heavily. "She's gorgeous Montana."

"Danny they're just friends, I don't think you should freak out yet and pulling them away from each other would be a mistake." Lindsay said softly. "They're close and let's face it, she doesn't have many friends and he's still grieving for his mom and won't let anyone else in, I think they're good for each other."

"Yeah but they're always together." He said rubbing his face hating that he couldn't sleep for worrying about it. "I mean they don't need to spend all their time together."

"Danny it's not like they're really alone." Lindsay said patting his cheek. "They hang out in the tree house, it's not that private and when they're here the door is open and I trust her, she'd tell us if something was going on and he knows better."

"Yeah." Danny said sighing heavily. "I don't want er to grow up, I don't oh fuck." He whispered sitting up his heart racing. "What if she gets pregnant, I don't want er havin sex."

"Danny." Lindsay said choking on a laugh. "She's 15 and she's not even really boy crazy yet, I think you should relax." She said rubbing his back knowing he was really bothered by the fact that his baby was growing up. "You know she wants to go to this dance next week."

"Yeah." He said laying back down. "I told er I didn't think it was a good idea."

"I know." Lindsay said wondering how she could make him see that she could go to a dance without coming home pregnant. "A boy asked her."

"What?" He asked shaking his head. "Linds I'm not ready for dis."

"I know Danny but it's gonna happen whether we want it to or not." She said snuggling into his side. "I think we should let her go."

"I dunno." He said rubbing his face.

"Well I have the brains in our family." She said smiling tiredly.

"Why what did ya do?" He asked looking at her.

"I offered us to chaperone." She said and he grinned broadly. "Stella's watching Lil and Aaron for us."

"Montana dat's real good." He said nodding. "Dis way we can watch er."

"Subtely watch her, I don't want to embarrass her." Lindsay said and Danny nodded already thinking about what he'd do to any boy who touched his baby.

"Ya wanna double to da dance?" Jason asked Ava the next afternoon as they walked home from school.

"Sure." She said nodding wishing he was going with another girl. He was going with a girl named Shay and she seemed really stupid and was friends with Sara and Joey and had never been very nice to her.

"I'm not sure ya should go wit Mark." He said and she rolled her eyes. "What?"

"You and my dad." Ava said sighing. "He seems pretty nice."

"Yeah I don't know bout dat." He said shrugging. "But I'll feel better if we walk over and back together."

"Jeez, it's not like I'm gonna kiss the guy, it's just a high school dance for goodness sakes." She said annoyed. "Between you and my father I may never have a boyfriend."

"One can hope." Danny said and both of them jumped.

"Daddy." Ava said frowning at him.

"What, I think it's a great idea." Danny said smiling. "I might even think bout paying Jason to keep boys away from ya." He said and smiled broadly.

"Score I could use some cash." Jason said smiling and then rubbing his arm as Ava punched him. "Just kiddin, I'll see ya in da morning." He said waving as he jogged across the alley towards his house.

"That was not funny." Ava said crossing her arms over her chest.

"What's up?" Jason asked as he found Ava standing in the corner of the school's gym during the dance.

"My father is watching me like a hawk." Ava said glancing over at her dad as he stood with his arms crossed by the punch table as her mom served punch.

"He's just watching out for ya AJ." Jason said shrugging. "Ya outa be glad ya got someone dat cares." He said and she looked up at him seeing a flash of pain in his eyes.

"I'm sorry your dad is working so much." She said softly and he shrugged as if he didn't care. "You having fun?"

"Yeah not really." He said sighing. "Not to be rude but Shay is very giggly." He said glancing over at his date. She was really cute and had long hair and big boobs and she was wearing a tight black dress that clung to her curves and made her boobs stick out. "She wants me to sneak out and meet er at her parents."

"Why?" Ava asked and frowned.

"Duh Ave." He said sighing. "Her parents ain't home."

"Oh." She said nodding. "Well I'm not having fun either, every time I dance with Mark he tries to touch my butt, I'm afraid my dad's gonna pull out his gun." She admitted and Jason laughed. "It's not funny."

"He really brought his gun?" Jason asked and she nodded sighing heavily.

"Of course." She said shaking her head.

"We shoulda set Mark up wit Shay, they could have had a real good time." He saidwatching as their dates flirted with each other. "Wanna go?" He asked and she smiled.

"Would that be rude?" She asked actually liking the idea of leaving.

"I don't care." He said shrugging. "Come on." He said walking with her over to the punch table.

"Daddy, momma can we go home?" Ava asked taking a glass of punch and drinking it. "We're not having fun and we wanna hang out."

"Why?" Danny asked frowning.

"Because." Ava said rolling her eyes. "We'll just sit in the tree house, nothing funny."

"Tell Aunt Stella you're home first." Lindsay said resting her hand on Danny's back feeling how tense he was. "Be careful walking home."

"We will." Jason said nodding as he walked with Ava to the front to leave.

"Hey Jasey?" Ava asked an hour later as they both laid on their backs looking up at the stars in the back yard.

"Yep." He said nodding his mind racing.

"I'm sorry about your mom, I never really said anything." She said softly.

"Thanks." He said swallowing hard. "I miss her." He admitted. "My pop, I know he misses her but he's never home."

"Have you talked to him?" Ava asked looking over at him.

"No, I'm good on my own." He said sighing knowing that he couldn't even attempt to talk to his dad without crying and he wasn't about to do that. "Sides I got you and we hang."

"Yeah." She said nodding. "It's almost summer." She said smiling as she saw a firefly. "My grama wants me to come back to Montana for the summer." She said softly wondering if he'd miss her.

"Oh." He said tensing up hating the thought of not having her to talk to for 3 months.

"Yeah you know I want to be a vet like my grampa and he wants me to come and work with him at the clinic to see if it's what I really want to do."

"Dat sounds like fun." He said sitting up. "When would ya leave?"

"Momma found me a plane ticket for pretty cheap but it leaves the day after school lets out." She said following his lead and sitting up. "I'd be gone from May 13th to the 15th of August, right before school starts again."

"Sounds good." He lied. "Ya should do dat."

"I wish you could come with me." She admitted sighing. "I'll miss you."

"It's not very long." He said shrugging unable to make himself say the words that he would miss her too. "I'm thinking bout getting a job anyway, I won't have time to hang out." He said and she nodded. "I'll be 16 soon and I'd like to get a car."

"Where will you work?" She asked seeing the lights turn on in the kitchen signaling her parents were home.

"I dunno." He said shrugging and rolling his eyes as her mother called her in. "Well I guess I'll see ya." He said standing up.

"Yeah." She said nodding and getting up looking over at his house noticing that all of the lights were still off. "Night." She waved as he jogged over to his house.


	5. Chapter 5

"Jason?" Flack called out as he walked into the house at almost midnight.

"What?" Jason called out smashing out his ciggerette and opening his window trying to get the smoke out so his dad wouldn't freak.

"Ya smoking?" Don asked stopping just inside his son's room.

"So." Jason said looking up at his father.

"You will not smoke." Don said anger flashing up inside of him.

"Oh ok." Jason said rolling his eyes and plopping down on the bed ignoring his dad. He hadn't really seen him all summer and he was really not in the mood.

"What the hells wrong wit ya?" Don asked loudly.

"What's it to you?" Jason asked rolling onto his side closing his eyes.

"I'm ya father." Don said jaw clenched.

"Yeah right." Jason said laughing sarcastically. "Night."

"Jason I'm your father and you'll do what I say." Don yelled.

"Bullshit, ya not my father, I haven't even seen ya in weeks." Jason yelled jumping up. "Ya can't come home once or twice a month and expect me to fall all over myself happy to have ya." He said grabbing his shoes and his wallet.

"Where are you goin?" Don asked watching and chasing him down the stairs.

"Out." Jason said racing out the door.

"Get your ass back in here." Don yelled slamming his fist into the wall as Jason jumped on the motorcycle he'd saved up for and took off. "Fuck."

"God damn." Jason said speeding off, needing to get away anywhere. He'd been working as much as he could and he absolutely hated being at home. He worked 7-7 at a meet packing plant near their house and then worked late at an all night pizza joint. He'd saved up enough money to buy the motorcycle and had a nice nest egg and part of him wanted to just take off, to go and start over somewhere. He missed Ava, she was his sanity and he'd never been so lonely in his entire life. He'd had a crazy summer, did a lot of things he shouldn't have. He'd drank for the first time with some older guys from the pizza place and started smoking. He didn't like the drinking, he didn't like feeling that out of control and sick the next day and he wasn't sure he was addicted to smoking but he liked it. He pulled over at a bridge adown listening to the cars as they passed. He briefly thought about calling Sara, he went to school with her and he'd taken her out once and she'd tried to get him to have sex with her but they just ended up making out and she'd given him a blow job. She'd acted funny about the sex, like it was nothing and he didn't want to be a pussy but he didn't really want his first time to be in the back of the pizza place he worked at. But he'd let her blow him and decided then and there that a 15 year old girl shouldn't be that comfortable with sex and hadn't talked to her since but she was company and he didn't have to think around her. He lit a smoke and inhaled glad for the burn in his lungs. He thought about what would happen when school started, he didn't want to quit school, he didn't know what he wanted out of the future but he knew that his mom would roll over in her grave if he quit, if he didn't attempt to make something out of his life. He looked at his watch, August 10th, 5 more days til Ava came home. He'd be lucky if Danny and Lindsay would even let her talk to him as much fucking up as he'd done all summer. He knew that Lindsay knew he smoked, she'd caught him out smoking by the tree house, she didn't say anything but he knew she saw. "FUCK!" He yelled feeling rage boil up inside of him at the unfairness of his life. His own father couldn't stand to even be around him. He'd heard Lindsay ask his father where he was working and he didn't even know, couldn't even say where his only child was spending his free time. Not that he wanted parents like Ava's, who nd climbed off his bike looking around before sittingwatched over every move but it would still be nice to have someone care where he was, or if he came home at night which half of the time he didn't. He didn't feel normal, never unless he was with Ave, it was like she saw him and most of the time it scared the hell out of him but the other part of the time he felt like he couldn't breathe without her around.

"Hey Flack, what can I do for ya?" Timmy the owner of the bike shop where he'd bought his motorcycle said smiling as he walked in.

"Yeah I need another helmet." Jason said walking in feeling silly and looking around.

"Ok, something wrong wit da helmet I sold ya?" He asked frowning.

"No, I uh, I need one for a girl." Jason said and Timmy grinned clapping him on the back proudly.

"Ok, what size, does she have a big head?" Timmy asked leading him to a row of women's helmets.

"Uh no I don't think so." Jason said shrugging. "I dunno."

"Is she a small girl or what?" He asked and Jason sighed.

"She's normal, I mean she's skinny but not very tall." He said shrugging.

"How bout this, you pick one out and if it don't fit er ya can bring er in and we'll find one dat does." He said and Jason nodded wondering if he was spending the money for nothing. He was pretty sure that Danny would never let Ava on the motorcycle and Ava wasn't a real rule breaker, not one to take off with him without asking permission.

"I like dis one." He said picking up a black helmet like his with a purple stripe on the side.

"Girls like dis one." Timmy said holding up a pink helmet with flowers on it.

"No she's not a girly kinda girl." Jason said shaking his head no and looking at the black helmet. "How much is it?"

"139." Timmy said and Jason nodded carrying it over to pay for it. Ava was coming home the next day and he was nervous to see her, he hadn't really talked to her all summer, she'd called the week before and caught him at home and he'd explained that he was working a lot and she'd sounded ok with that. "She must be pretty special." Timmy said giving him his change.

"Yeah." Jason said nodding not sure what to say. People didn't understand when he said that they were just friends and he wasn't sure if that was really all they were.


	6. Chapter 6

"Hey

"Hey." Ava said laughing as she hugged both of her parents.

"Gosh Av, you've grown up." Lindsay said fighting tears looking at her daughter. In 3 short months she'd grown several inches and her body had become curvy and her chest fuller.

"I missed you bug." Danny said hugging his baby a little shocked at how much older she looked. She was stunning, tall and thin with curves and she was small but had breasts like Lindsay, full for such a tiny girl.

"I missed you too daddy." She said smiling and then hugging her brother and sister. "Hey guys."

"We missed you." Lilly said smiling brightly.

"You've really grown up." Lindsay said a little bit later as she helped Ava unpack.

"My clothes are to small." Ava admitted. "I had a great summer but I'm glad to be home." She said glancing out the window hoping that Jason would have come by. "How's Jasey?"

"Oh honey." Lindsay whispered sinking down onto the bed sighing heavily. "He's changed."

"How?" Ava asked frowning.

"He's distant, he's working a lot I know that and he bought a motorcycle and he's smoking and I'm pretty sure he's drinking." Lindsay admitted. "I'm worried."

"I was afraid he'd do something stupid without me." Ava said sighing heavily. "He misses his mom and Uncle Don is never around momma, never."

"I know." Lindsay said nodding. "He's a good kid I just worry about him, and I worry about you hanging around him."

"Momma I'm not stupid, I'm not going to drink and smoke just because he is." She said rolling her eyes. "Believe it or not I've got my own mind and I can say no to peer pressure."

"I know baby." Lindsay said nodding. "You're becoming a woman and it terrifies me."

"Momma you're not going to keep me away from him are you?" Ava asked frowning her big blue eyes bright. "Momma." She said as Lindsay paused.

"I'm not keeping you away from him but I can't promise your father will let you just run free with him." Lindsay said. "He's made some mistakes this summer and I'm only saying you can still be around him because I think he needs you but if I see any signs that you're going down the wrong path I will keep you locked up in this room, I promise." She said hoping she was making the right decision knowing that Danny was already stressing about everything.

"Momma he's my best friend, I don't know I don't feel right without him." Ava admitted. "I missed you guys don't get me wrong but I can talk to him, he understands me and I know he feels the same so I just need you to trust me, I'm not going to do anything stupid." She said smiling weakly. "Now I know it's late but can I please go and see him?"

"I guess but you need to be home by midnight and no riding on that motorcycle." Lindsay said knowing Danny would have a tough time ever letting her have that much freedom.

"Ok momma." Ava said smiling.

"Be careful." Lindsay called out as Ava raced down the stairs.

"Yes momma." Ava yelled racing through the gate to the back door of the house stopping as she saw him leaning against the tree house smoking. "You know that'll kill you." She said and he nodded smiling weakly before throwing it.

"Hey." He said smiling so glad to see her he felt almost giddy.

"Hey." She said walking over and stepping close, wrapping her arms around him shocked at how much taller he'd gotten. He used to be really thin but he felt more muscular now and she smiled lightly as he cleared his throat and wrapped his arms around her hugging her back. "I missed you Jasey." She said inhaling his scent wondering when he started wearing aftershave and also wondering when she'd started liking it.

"I missed ya too AJ." He said swallowing hard as he hugged her. She'd gotten several inches taller and her hair was longer, down to the middle of her back curling in soft waves. She'd also gotten really curvy and he tightened his arms around her waist feeling her breasts crushing against him in the light cotton tee shirt.

"So." She said stepping back hating to break the hug. "You got taller." She said shocked at how handsome he'd gotten in 3 short months. His hair was short and his jaw was darkened with facial hair that needed shaving and his arm muscles were well defined and she remembered back to the summer before when they'd been swimming, she doubted he looked like that without his shirt on now.

"So did you." He said smiling at her wondering if she'd always been this beautiful or if he'd just started noticing. She was drop dead gorgeous, the prettiest woman he'd ever seen and he fought the urge to kiss her. "So ya wanna come in?" He asked looking at the door to his house.

"Yeah we need to catch up and I have til midnight." She said nodding as she followed him into the house.

"So how was working at da clinic?" He asked as he poured both of them a glass of tea.

"It was great." She said smiling. "I'm sure now that's what I want to do." She said smiling. "It was really great and Grampa let me assist with everything. I'd like to find a job at a Vet's office here." She said sipping her tea. "What about you, how's your jobs?"

"Ok." He said shrugging. "Nothing as glamorous as yours but it paid ok." He said smiling. "I guess I'll quit at the packing plant and just do the pizza thing during school."

out the back and across the yard running"I'm not sure how mom and dad will take me wanting a job." Ava admitted. "I don't even know where there's a vet's office around here."

"There's one near my pizza place." He said leaning back in his chair. "It's a ways out but it's a good part of town."

"So my mother forbid me to ride your motorcycle." She said and he smiled having anticipated that.

"I figured but I couldn't afford a car and dis way I can save on gas and stuff since I'm saving as much as I can." He said and she nodded. "I'm hopin we can convince ya pop to let ya ride, I'm real safe and I bought ya a helmet."

"I don't know." She said smiling at the thought that he bought her a helmet. "Thanks for buying me a helmet, I hope I get to use it."

"Yep." He said nodding. "So school starts in 3 days."

"Yeah, summer went way to fast." She said watching him. "How's things going with your dad?"

"Oh ya know." He said rubbing his face. "When he's here we fight til I leave." He admitted. "Thank god he's not here much."

"I wish I could make that better Jasey." She said frowning hating that he had a rough time with his dad.

"It's aright." He said shrugging. "So tell me bout da stuff ya did wit ya granpa?" He asked and she smiled letting him change the subject knowing that he wouldn't talk until he was ready.

"Ok what's up?" Danny asked sitting down at the table on Saturday evening with Lindsay and Jason and Ava.

"Ok first I need you to listen." Ava said and he sighed already unhappy before they even started. "You promise?" She asked and he rolled his eyes and nodded. "Ok, so I want to get a job." She said holding her hand up as he started to talk. "There's a clinic and I already talked to them and grandpa called and helped me get the job." She said. "It would be Wednesday evenings from 5-9 and Fridays 5-10 and on Saturdays from noon to 10pm." She said watching both of them seeing that they were unhappy. "It's quite a ways away but it pays good and if I'm going to get accepted into veterinary school I have to have a year of internship at a clinic, they're paying me and I really want to do it." She said smiling hopefully. "It's gonna help me with my future and I'll also save money for college, I talked to my guidance counselor and she said the more experience I have the better my chances for getting into a good program." She said glancing over at Jason. "I know it's a long ways, I can't take the subway because it's to far but Jason has talked to his boss and he'll work more days than me but he'll work the same days so that we can ride together."

"No fuckin way." Danny said shaking his head interrupting her. "I am not letting my 16 year old daughter traipse all over dis town on a motorcycle wit an inexperienced driver, not a chance." He said loudly.

"Dad." Ava said frowning. "He's safe, he took a drivers safety class and he even bought me a helmet."

"Did he buy ya some extra insurance?" Danny yelled.

"I knew he wouldn't be reasonable." Ava said glaring at him. "Fine I'll just take a cab but it's probably gonna cost me more to work than I'll make, oh unless you or mom can drive home from work to take me?" She asked jaw clenched in anger. "It's not my fault that we live so far out and I know you want what's best for me and going to college is important to me."

"Danny sit down." Lindsay said grabbing his arm and pulling him into the chair a little annoyed at his freak out. "Ava, is there another clinic nearby?" Lindsay asked trying to remain calm.

"Yes, about 2 miles away but they don't take interns and they don't hire kids, that's what the man said and trust me momma I tried." Ava said. "This is the next closest." She said. "I can take the subway if you want but the last train I could catch leaves at 1am so I wouldn't get home until nearly 2 am. I thought it was more reasonable to ride home late in the evening with someone I trust." She said crossing her arms over her chest. "This would help both of us save money, I could pay for half of the gas and he's safe daddy, he wouldn't hurt me." Ava said staring at her father.

"I know he wouldn't hurt ya on purpose Ava." Danny said sighing. "Maybe if he had a car."

"He couldn't afford a car, if he had a car he probably wouldn't need to work." Ava said and Jason cleared his throat.

"I promise, I'm a safe driver and I brought my certificate from my motorcycle safety class." He said sliding the papers over to Danny. "I, well I would never take a chance wit Ava's life, she's really the only person I got." He said and Lindsay closed her eyes seeing the pain in his dark blue eyes. "I know ya got no reason to trust me but I am careful."

"Well shit." Danny said rubbing his face. "First ya take me out and ya ride around wit me, if and I mean ya gotta be perfect but if I think ya do ok we'll think about it." He said feeling very scared. "And I will ride wit her behind me til she's comfortable."

"Ok." Jason said nodding a little worried. "Um, ya wanna go now?"

"I guess." Danny said rubbing his face. "Ya got a helmet?"

"Well I have mine and Ava's, um I don't know that it's gonna fit ya." Jason said cringing as he stood up.

"Well just don't wreck." Danny said standing up hating that the kid was already taller than him.

"Ava." Lindsay said as the boys took off out the door. "I need to ask you something and I want you to be honest with me ok?" She asked and Ava nodded. "Are you having sex with Jason?"

"No momma." Ava said turning beet red. "We're not like that." She said dying of embarrassment.

"Do you want to be like that?" Lindsay asked and Ava blinked a few times before shaking her head no. "Because I see the way you look at each other and I'm not saying it will happen but if and when it does I want you to feel comfortable talking to me about it." She said and Ava nodded lightly. "Do you want to date him?"

"I don't know." Ava whispered. "I don't know momma, he's my best friend and sometimes I think maybe, I mean I can't imagine any other boy being like him and he's very kind to me, other boys try things and push you but he never does that to me and I'm not saying we've done anything." Ava said flushing red again. "You can trust me, I'm no where near ready to have sex even if we were like that."

"Ok." Lindsay said nodding feeling very uneasy. "I just know hormones, I know how easy it is to lose control when you're playing with fire." She whispered hugging her. "Promise if it gets to that point you'll use a condom, with Jason with anyone."

"Ok this is embarrassing but yes." Ava said smiling awkwardly.

"So uh how did I do?" Jason asked almost an hour later as Danny told him to stop.

"She's my life." Danny said glaring at him. "My baby and I'm gonna trust you with her life, ya got any idea what dat means?" He asked and Jason nodded looking scared. "You fuck up and I'll be on ya like ya wouldn't believe."

"I won't." Jason said swallowing hard.

"Now." Danny said clearing his throat. "Bout what ya said earlier, I know you and Ava are close but she's not da only person ya got, ya got me and Montana and I know things are messed up wit ya dad but ya got him too." Danny said feeling bad seeing the flash of pain in the kids eyes. "Are you having sex wit my daughter?" He asked jaw clenched.

"No." Jason said shaking his head his face flaming red.

"Yeah well let's keep it dat way." Danny said feeling slightly nauseated. "Have ya had sex?"

"No sir." Jason said feeling like if he answered anything wrong his life would be over.

"Good." Danny said looking around. "Now these are da rules." He said firmly. "To and from school, no hanging out without permission and then ya take er to work and back, if ya gonna be late ya better call and wait, just don't be late." He said and Jason nodded. "Now I'm payin for da gas." He said handing Jason his gas card. "Only for gas, I catch ya buying smokes wit dis card I'll kick ya ass and if I catch my daughter smoking or drinking well I'll kick ya ass for dat too." He said and Jason nodded.

"Sir I can pay for the gas." He said chewing on his bottom lip.

"No." Danny said shaking his head. "I'll pay, ya watch out for er, I know ya do already but she's precious to me, when ya got kids you'll understand." Danny said and Jason nodded sliding the card into his wallet. "If I see ya actin crazy at all we're done here, ya got me?"

"Yeah." Jason said nodding feeling like he was about 4 years old.

"Now how much was Ava's helmet, I'll pay for dat." Danny said looking at the bike.

"Sir, I want to pay for it, I uh, well thank you anyway but I already paid for it so." Jason said hoping Danny didn't just choke him and get it over with.

"Ok." Danny said impressed by the kid. "Thanks for thinking of er safety."


	7. Chapter 7

"Hey

"Hey." Ava said climbing up into the tree house finding Jason laying on the floor staring at the ceiling. "That was awful." She said laying down beside him.

"It wasn't fun." He said smiling. "I'm still a little shocked to be honest."

"Me too." She said closing her eyes. "Thanks for going through that."

"Yeah." He said nodding. "AJ, I would kill to have a dad like yours." He whispered. "He really loves ya, cares what happens to ya."

"Jasey your dad loves you." She said rolling onto her side to look at him. "He's just so lost, I think he doesn't know how to get back to normal."

"I lost both of them that day ya know." He said swallowing hard. "Anyway." He said shaking his head. "What did ya think of my bike?"

"I like it." She said rolling back onto her back letting him change the subject. "Jasey tell me what happened this summer?" She asked hoping he would open up to her. "I heard you slept with Sara."

"No I didn't." He said face turning red. "I uh, well we went out sort of." He said shrugging. "I didn't have sex with her."

"She says you did." Ava said hating that the thought of him being with another girl hurt her so bad.

"Well I didn't, I'd don't lie to ya Ava." He said turning to look at her. "We messed around but I didn't have sex wit her."

"I believe you." She said smiling weakly. "I also heard that you got drunk and did drugs."

"I got drunk." He admitted. "I'm not proud of it, I didn't really like it much, I got sick and I don't like feelin out of control, it was fun but I dunno." He said softly. "No drugs."

"I didn't figure." She said smiling. "Why did you get drunk?"

"It seemed like the thing to do." He said shrugging hating that he felt stupid. "My pop don't care what I do and I dunno, it was dumb like I wanted to fit in just belong somewhere but I didn't." He said shaking his head. "Ya disappointed in me?" He asked jaw clenched wondering how sucky it would feel if she was.

"No." She whispered. "You're trying to find yourself." She said sighing. "You're a good person Jasey, you're going through some bad stuff but you're a good guy."

"I dunno Ave, lot's of times I don't think so." He said. "I'm pissed at my pop, I can't even have a conversation wit him and I get so mad." He whispered. "It's like I'm gonna explode, I have a really short fuse lately."

"What changed, I mean you weren't doing bad before." She whispered glad that it was dark so it felt a little more intimate for sharing things.

"I was fucked up when ya left, I didn't do good without ya." He said clearing his throat.

"Well I'm back now." She said smiling loving that he could admit that she meant something to him. "We're gonna be fine."

"I hope so." He said taking a deep breath. "Ave, what if I don't figure out what I wanna do wit my life, I mean ya got things figured out, ya wanna be a vet but I got no idea."

"You'll figure it out Jasey, we're only 16, we don't have to know everything right now." She said resting her hand on his arm feeling odd touching him. "We're kids, we're supposed to be a little irresponsible."

"Yeah." He said nodding and moving his arm looking over at her in the dark as she jumped and moved her hand off of him. He felt his heart race with her misinterpreting his move and he reached for her hand taking her small hand in his and resting it beside them. She smiled and tried to relax, she'd really thought she went to far when he moved his arm but she got all warm and fuzzy inside as he clasped her hand gently in his knowing that for right now, whatever was going on this felt right.

"Hey." Ava said smiling as she walked out of her class finding Jason in the hall.

"Hey." He said smiling as they headed towards the door both of them off for the day. "So what are ya doing tonight?" He asked stopping and frowning as Chase Hammond a senior walked over smiling at her.

"Hey Flack can I borrow Ava for a minute?" He asked and Jason looked down at her and she shrugged having no clue that the older guy was interested in her. He shrugged and nodded and walked towards the lockers anger and fear boiling up inside of him as he watched the guy smile, flirting with Ava. He stood there for a minute waiting and finally after a bit Ava smiled and walked back over to him.

"Ok." She said and he nodded fighting the urge to scream or beg her to tell him what Chase said although he was already pretty sure. "You ok?" She asked as he handed the helmet to her before grabbing his own.

"Yep." He said knowing he was being an ass but unable to help it as he climbed on the bike sighing as she wrapped her arms around his middle holding on as he drove. He fought the urge to go fast, wanting to burn off some of his anger but knew that her father would kill him if he even got wind of it so he drove normal stopping in front of her house.

"Wanna come in?" She asked smiling as she pulled her helmet off.

"Yeah uh, I uh I have plans." He said avoiding her gaze not wanting to hear that she'd accepted a date with the guy knowing that by her silence it probably meant that she had.

"Oh." She said nodding and looking back to the house. "Ok well." She frowned as he nodded cutting her off and taking off. "Well have fun." She whispered taking her helmet and heading into the house grateful for the quiet. She ate supper with her family avoiding talking not sure what would come out of her mouth as much as her mind was racing. It was almost Christmas and her parents wanted to know if she wanted to go back to Montana with them and she shrugged not sure what to say unable to focus on anything except why Jason acted so mad at her. After she helped her mom clean up supper she headed out to the tree house knowing Jason wasn't home but needing to think and knowing she'd have peace there. She'd been sitting thinking for almost an hour when she felt the house move knowing someone was coming up. "Hey." She said softly seeing Jason as he climbed in.

"I don't want ya to date Chase Hammond." He stated and she blinked a few times and shook her head as if she was confused. "I been driving, trying to think and I know it's not fair to ask but I don't want ya to do it." He said swallowing hard.

"Jase, Chase didn't ask me out." She said watching him. "He wanted me to help with his Geometry." She said and he snorted and shook his head. "What?"

"Ya blind Av, he's hittin on ya and I don't like it." He said crossing his arms over his chest.

"He was not hitting on me." Ava said frowning and standing up. "Why are you so mad at me?" She asked staring at him a little worried about the strange look on his face.

"I am not mad at ya AJ." He said sighing. "Ava." He whispered stepping closer looking up so that he didn't bump his head on the beams. "I'm not mad." He whispered resting his palm against her soft cheek.

"Ok." She whispered swallowing hard knowing that he was going to kiss her. She stared at him and she could have sworn he was asking permission with his eyes so she gave a small nod and he closed his eyes and smiled lightly opening his eyes again and lowering his mouth to hers. She closed her eyes not sure what to do as he gently pressed his lips against hers but before she could attempt to do anything he pulled away.

"Is dis ok?" He asked his warm breath on her cheek.

"Yes." She said shivering in the cold night even under the layers of her coat and the blanket they kept in the tree house. He nodded and rubbed his lips across hers their breaths mingling and she slid her arms up wrapping them around his neck and opening her mouth slightly whimpering softly as he pressed his cool lips against hers kissing her this time. She moved her mouth still slightly unsure what to do.

"We should talk." He whispered breaking away before he got carried away.

"Ok." She said nodding. He stepped back and cleared his throat and felt bad seeing her shiver.

"Can we sit?" He asked and she nodded sitting down and smiling nervously as he sat beside her and wrapped the thick blanket around both of them. "Ok so I don't know when it happened but." He stopped and prayed for the right words. "I like you."

"I like you too." She whispered looking at him, feeling almost lost as she stared into his eyes.

"I want to be wit ya, I don't want to date anyone else and I don't want ya datin anyone else." He said licking his lips. "I know I'm not a prize catch but I won't hurt ya." He said holding her hand under the covers. "I won't pressure ya, we can go slow."

"Jasey don't be nervous." She said smiling at him. "I feel the same way, I don't know when it happened either but I want to be with you, if Chase had asked me out I would have said no." She admitted. "I've been asked out several times but I could only imagine being with you so I said no."

"I still say he was flirtin wit ya." Jason said staring at her. "You are so beautiful." He whispered swallowing hard. "Ya get me like no one else."

"Same here." She said smiling. "You're so sexy though, you could have any girl in our school." She said feeling scared that he would agree with her.

"I don't want anyone else, there's only one girl I want and I know ya dad is going to kill me, I know I'm not good enough for ya but I can't seem to stay away or stop having feelings for ya." He said.

"Jason Evan Flack, don't ever say that." He smiled and nodded not sure what to say but unable to tear his gaze away from her.

"I think we should talk to ya parents." He said breaking the eye contact. "I don't wanna give them any reason not to trust us."

"I'm scared." She said sighing. "What if they won't let us be around each other anymore?" She asked looking up at him tears in her big blue eyes.

"Ave we can't lie to em, we gotta be honest." He said softly. "Right now they trust us, or well a little bit but if we lie and they find out they'll doubt anything we say." He said kissing her forehead. "I'm scared too but I really think we should talk to em."

"Ok." She said nodding knowing that he was right and that they would probably find out.

"So will ya go out on a date wit me on Thursday, after I ask ya dad's permission?" He asked smiling at her.

"Yes." She said smiling. "When are you gonna do it?" She asked squeezing his hand under the covers.

"I think I should do it now, I mean if I don't I'll probably chicken out and to tell ya da truth, ya dad scares the shit out of me." He said smiling nervously. "It's only 8."

"Ok." She said nodding. "You want to do it by yourself?" She asked and he nodded knowing that it was probably the right thing to do. "Ok." She said kissing him quickly before standing up. "I'm gonna call you as soon as you leave, just to see how it goes." She said and he nodded following her down the stairs and into the house.

"Hey uh, I was wonderin." Jason said as they stepped into the kitchen finding Danny and Lindsay sitting at the table drinking coffee.

"Night." Ava said smiling nervously and heading up the stairs.

"Um, yeah can I talk to ya for a second?" He asked watching as Danny gave Lindsay a look and nodded. "So I uh well." He stopped and looked at both of them. "I was wondering if I could take Ava out on a date on Thursday." He said stomach churning wildly. "Or another day if Thursday isn't good." He said after a long pause in which Danny stared at Lindsay.

"I knew dis was comin." He said sighing heavily. "How long has dis been going on?"

"Well sir, really just tonight." He admitted. "I mean I've kinda known I liked er but today some guy asked her out or I thought he did and well." He stopped and closed his eyes feeling like a royal dumbass. "I'd like to date her."

"Have you tried to have sex with her?" Danny asked and Lindsay groaned shaking her head.

"No sir." Jason said shaking his head mortified. "I uh, I kissed her but no tongue." He said and Lindsay covered her mouth trying not to laugh since both men looked so serious.

"So you ask my permission to date her but you feel like it's fine to just kiss my daughter?" Danny asked watching him sort of enjoying putting him through the hell.

"No, I uh I well you, I didn't mean to, I mean I meant to." He said stopping and rubbing his face. "We don't wanna lie to ya, we want ya to trust us." He said swallowing hard and meeting Danny's gaze. "I was afraid if we didn't talk to ya, dat ya'd find out and then you wouldn't trust us."

"Well I respect that." Danny said sighing. "How long have you had feelings for my daughter?"

"Um well probably I probably knew since she came home from being gone." Jason said heart racing.

"Well so you've had what 4 months to think about it." He said and Jason nodded. "Ok so why don't you give me some time, how bout between now and 4 months and I'll let ya know what we decide." He said and Jason stood there for a second not sure what to say or do. "Goodnight." He said and Lindsay gaped at him, shocked at how rude he was being.

"Sweetie go home and let Danny and I talk." Lindsay said standing up and rubbing his back. "Thank you for coming to talk to us, that was very brave of you considering Danny is not doing very well with his little girl growing up." She said and he nodded walking towards the door and sighing heavily as he walked out and towards his house.

"How did it go?" Ava asked smiling as Jason answered the phone.

"Well, on a scale of 1 to 10 wit 10 bein da best it was about a 2." He said sighing as he stretched out on his bed. "They didn't kick me out which is why it wasn't a 2, ya dad said he needed some time to think." He admitted.

"I didn't think it would go well." Ava said softly. "Was he mean?"

"Well he wasn't real nice, he asked right away if we were having sex, I guess it kinda went downhill after dat." He said rubbing his face.

"Oh my god that's embarrassing." Ava said groaning. "I am so sorry."

"Hey it's ok, like I said, he loves ya and just wants ya to be safe." He said curling up on his side. "It could have gone worse, he could have said I can't take ya to school anymore."

"I'll talk to him." She said smiling lightly still glowing from their earlier kiss. "Crap." She said as her mom peeked her head into the room telling her she needed the phone. "I'll see you in the morning." She said smiling.

"Ok, sweet dreams." He said smiling as he hung up.

"So what ya just not gonna talk to me?" Danny asked late that evening as they laid in bed. Lindsay hadn't said a word to him since Jason left and he knew she was annoyed at him.

"Why, did you need me to say anything, cause it seems like you really don't need my opinion on anything." She said rolling away from him.

"Come on Linds." Danny said sighing. "I was a teenage boy, I know what he's thinking and it pisses me off dat he's thinking it about my daughter."

"Danny how old were you when you lost your virginity?" She asked sitting up and staring at him.

"14 you know dat and dat was different." He said frowning.

"Bullshit it was different." She said shaking her head. "I was 15 and if my parents hadn't kept such a tight reign on me I might have waited." She said. "I wanted to date but they wouldn't let me so I lied, I snuck out and we went to places like the barn, the lake where it was completely isolated and the only thing left to do was have sex so if we keep her to close trust me she'll rebel."

"She's not gonna sneak out." Danny said jumping up to pace.

"Danny, she's a good kid, she's never done anything to us to make us not trust her, neither has Jason now I know this scares you but if you try to keep them apart they'll find a way and I promise you that neither of us is gonna like it." She said watching him pace. "You have got to get to a place where you can think rationally about this and stop treating Jason like a suspect."

"He is a suspect in my book." Danny said loudly.

"He's a kid, a kid who cares about your daughter." Lindsay said jaw clenched in anger. "A kid who has proven time and again that he'd do anything to keep her safe."

"He has a dick, I was his age I didn't think wit my heart." Danny said slamming his fist on the night table.

"So what?" She asked shaking her head and getting up. "We're just gonna keep her locked up til she's 18 and then she'll go wild and we'll lose her, if not before because she's smart Danny." She said fighting tears. "If kids want to have sex they will find a way to do it, we both did now I am worried too but I'm not willing to sacrifice my relationship with my daughter on the off chance she decides to become intimate with someone she cares about."

"So what you just want us to make it easy on er?" Danny asked hands on his hips.

"Listen." She said sighing. "We need to calm down and talk about this." She said and he nodded rubbing his face.

"I'm scared, I hate feeling like dis, like I got no control." He said plopping down on the bed.

"I know but we're the parents, we need to be rational." She said sitting down beside him. "Let's talk this out." She said and he nodded. "What was your curfew when you were 16?"

"I didn't have one." He said closing his eyes.

"Ok mine was midnight on weekdays and 1 on the weekends." She said and he cringed. "Danny that's not unreasonable." She said and he sighed again. "What if we make it 11 on weekdays and 12 on weekends?"

"Ok." He said nodding. "I say she needs to be home sometimes, I don't want her out wit him every night." He said and Lindsay smiled.

"Baby she's out in the tree house with him almost every night." She said and he closed his eyes.

"Yeah and should dat stop, I mean it's dark and isolated." He said and she smiled.

"And not safe, if they tried to do anything up there it would fall apart." She said and he nodded smiling. "Let go a little daddy." She said and he sighed.

"Ok but at least one night a week she's got to spend time wit us." He said and she nodded.

"Ok I was thinking we should make one night a week that he spends here with us." Lindsay said and Danny made a face. "Danny he has no one, Don is never home." She said and he nodded. "I promised Jen that I'd watch out for him and she promised the same for mine and it bothers me that he's alone so much."

"I don't know what the hell is wrong wit Don." Danny admitted.

"Me either but I'm thinking on Sundays he should spend the day with us, eat with us and then in the evening he and Ava can go do something but I'd like to make sure he gets at least one day a week where he eats ok. I was over there the other day to water the plants and the only food that's ever in that house is bread and peanut butter and jelly, he lives on that and pizza from work and Danny I love him, he's a good boy who's had a rough time."

"I know, he's a good kid it just." He stopped. "He changed to da enemy when he touched Ava."

"Well you have to stop treating him like that." She said and he nodded. "So they can go out and we just want to know where they are." She said and he nodded still looking very unhappy. "Now would you do me a big favor?" She asked smiling sweetly at him.

"What?" He asked nodding.

"Go over there now and tell him what we decided, he's probably worried sick." She said and Danny cringed.

"Now, it's 9." He said and she rolled her eyes. "Fine." He said shaking his head and getting up pulling on some sweats. "I'm going."

"Good." She said smiling and climbing out of bed to go talk to Ava.

"Hey." Jason said shocked to see Danny at his back door that night. "Oh come in." He said letting him into the kitchen where he was sitting eating supper.

"Dat's ya supper?" Danny asked looking at the sandwiches on the table.

"Um yeah I didn't get a chance to eat yet, can I get ya something?" He asked looking nervous.

"No." Danny said shaking his head feeling bad for the poor kid. "So I talked to Lindsay." He said and Jason nodded. "We decided to let you guys date but she has to be home by 11 on school nights and midnight on the weekends." He said and Jason nodded smiling. "There's rules though." He said and Jason nodded again looking very serious. "One night a week when she's not working she's gotta spend time wit us. Then on Sundays ya gotta come over and spend the day wit us, eat and hang out and then in da evening ya can go and do something wit her but we wanna spend time wit ya, get to know ya better." Danny said and Jason smiled and actually looked thrilled. "Another thing is dat ya welcome at our house anytime, Jason I was never angry wit ya, you're a good kid I'm just worried about my baby." Danny said clapping the big kid on the shoulder. "I know ya got a raw deal wit ya mom and ya pop is well." He stopped and sighed. "He's my best friend but he's fucked up royally but we're ya family also so ya welcome anytime and ya don't have to spend all ya time alone, even on Ava's nights wit us ya welcome and ya welcome anytime for meals, Montana cooks enough for an army so feel free to come over."

"Thanks, and sir I promise I'll treat er wit respect, she's not like any other girl I know." Jason said. "She's special and I'd never pressure her for sex or anything I just want ya to know dat."

"Ok." Danny said nodding still very uncomfortable with the idea of his daughter having sex. "Listen I was a kid once and trust me if I find out ya being intimate wit her I will kick your ass but it's nothing compared to what I'll do to ya if ya knock my baby up." He said staring at him. "I love ya like a son but I will probably shoot ya so if ya respect me I'll try real hard to respect ya, I guess Montana said I was treatin ya like a suspect and I'm gonna try not to do dat but I ain't making no promises."

"Yes sir." Jason said smiling.

"Aright, well I'll leave ya to ya supper and we'll probably see ya tomorrow."

"Ok thanks." He said nodding as he walked Danny to the door. "Yes." He said laughing as he shut the door.


End file.
